Achievement gap is a community issue
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	 Achievement gap is a community issue		

Published June 4 2006

With all the talk by school superintendents, teachers, boards of education and public officials about closing the academic achievement gap, it would be understandable if local communities wanted to change the subject.

But that really hasn't happened, and a University of Connecticut poll of more than 600 residents in Greenwich, Norwalk and Stamford provides one rather-sobering explanation: A surprisingly large number of people in our area may not know what these officials are talking about. In fact, those describing themselves as either "not too familiar" or "not at all familiar" with the term "academic achievement gap" were in the majority in Stamford and Norwalk according to the poll, which was conducted in March for The Advocate and Greenwich Time. The number also was high in Greenwich, where 37 percent of respondents lacked familiarity with the term.

If this is a reasonably accurate reflection of the public's level of knowledge and engagement, then a lot of work remains to be done, not only by school systems in Norwalk, Stamford and Greenwich, but also by parents, businesses, youth organizations, social service agencies, churches and others interested in children and their future.

The achievement gap refers to a marked and in many cases pronounced disparity between the academic performance of white students and most nonwhites. This is measured by regularly testing students on appropriate material for their age, with scant regard for innate ability or English language proficiency. Substantial differences between the performance of white/Asian and nonwhite students have prompted a wide-ranging and, to our mind, healthy examination of the expectations that educators, families and communities have for students of all ethnic, social and economic backgrounds. This strikes at the heart of racial stereotypes and belief systems long ingrained in American society. The federal government has gotten into the act, requiring students to be tested regularly and substandard scores to be improved, with severe penalties for schools that fail to meet benchmarks for progress. The federal legislation is flawed and the effort is underfunded. But it also is terribly, terribly necessary to our area, where minority children consistently score below whites in reading, writing and math.

A lot of the discussion has centered on responsibility for these lopsided results. Everyone -- parents, teachers, community leaders -- says they can't do it all. Everyone is right. But that doesn't change the need to do and to do more, for the sake of children who will compete in tomorrow's global job market. The UConn survey suggests many adults have not been pulled into this discussion. They could be an untapped resource for communities that are trying to promote good study habits, strong academic performance and a high regard for education.

The Advocate and Greenwich Time published "Bridging the Gap," a five-day series (May 21-25) highlighting the challenges ahead and some of the early successes. Among many other things, the UConn poll indicates a deep divide locally on some strategies that could help improve results. For example, respondents were split about whether to end ability-grouping of students, a controversial but common practice known as "tracking," and whether to pay teachers according to merit rather than the one-size-fits-all terms of a contract. But also reflected in the stories are school superintendents in Stamford, Norwalk and Greenwich who understand the problem and regard solving it as their No. 1 priority, as well as committed teachers who feel that a lot more can be done in the classroom to improve results. After-school help, Saturday classes, tailoring instruction to individual student needs, using grants to hire more teachers -- all of these are making a positive difference. It may be more difficult to quantify, but the involvement of churches, businesses and service groups also is a very positive development.

There is hope, then, that by joining together, local communities can make tremendous strides. But the UConn poll ought to remind us that the first line for education is the public. An awful lot of people still don't get it.
	
Copyright © 2006, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.